Authorpreneur Dashboard – Richard Weirich
The Forever Notebook 1
Christian Books & Bibles
In his dynamic new devotional series, The Forever Notebook, Richard Weirich provides daily inspirational and instructional counsel to help you grow in your forever relationship with God. Each book in the quarterly series is grounded in God's word, and written to help you face life's greatest challenges, strengthen your faith, and provide you with hope, comfort, and encouragement based on sound biblical teaching. In the Forever Notebook, Book I (January - March), you'll be challenged to start a daily quiet time, set meaningful spiritual goals, and take a disciplined approach to applying godly principles to daily living. Among the 90 Meditations in this book: • How to Get the Most Out of Your Quiet Time • How to Respond to Conflict in the Church • How to Avoid Temptation • How to Win Spiritual Battles • How to Get Into Worship • The Behavior of Christian Love • What God Wants You to Know • God has a Plan for Your Life • Why You Must Wait On the Lord • When You Lose Control of Your Emotions • How to Respond When God Tests You • When Life is Too Hard to Handle • When Things Fail to Turn Out the Way You Pray • Where to Find Comfort for All Your Troubles • The Flawless Forever Faithfulness of God • Guilt Can Be a Good Thing When Used Wisely • Your Daily Spiritual Maturity Test • When Life is a Struggle • How to Get the Spring Back in Your Spiritual Step
Book Bubbles from The Forever Notebook 1
The Forever Notebook 2
Christian Books & Bibles
In Book 2 of his dynamic new devotional series, The Forever Notebook, Richard Weirich provides daily inspirational and instructional counsel to help you grow in your forever relationship with God. Each book in the quarterly series is grounded in God's word, and written to help you face life's greatest challenges, strengthen your faith, and provide you with hope, comfort, and encouragement based on sound biblical teaching. In the Forever Notebook, Book 2 (April - June), you'll be challenged to start a daily quiet time, set meaningful spiritual goals, and take a disciplined approach to applying godly principles to daily living. Among the Daily Meditations in this book: • When Distance Separates You from Those You Love • How to Pray Continually • Faith that Moves Mountains • How to Manage Anxiety • How to Manage Sorrow • Why You Don't Have to Be Afraid • How God Protects His Children • The Way Out of Temptation • When You're Treated Unfairly by Bad People • The Simple Heartfelt Prayer that Says It All • How to Turn Hardships into Blessings • Ineffective and Unproductive Faith • How to Survive a Crushed Spirit • How to Recognize Heavenly Wisdom • God's Plan for Anger Management • How to Walk by the Spirit
Book Bubbles from The Forever Notebook 2
How to Live a Glorious Life
In addition to writing inspirational novels, I have also written a devotional series called The Forever Notebook. Following is the meditation for June 16 that deals with diversity while remaining true to the faith.
The Forever Notebook 3
Christian Books & Bibles
In Book 3 of his dynamic new devotional series, The Forever Notebook, Richard Weirich provides daily inspirational and instructional counsel to help you grow in your forever relationship with God. Each book in the quarterly series is grounded in God's word, and written to help you face life's greatest challenges, strengthen your faith, and provide you with hope, comfort, and encouragement based on sound biblical teaching. In the Forever Notebook, Book 3 (July - September), you'll be challenged to start a daily quiet time, set meaningful spiritual goals, and take a disciplined approach to applying godly principles to daily living. Among the Daily Meditations in this book: • The Strong-Willed Child of God • How God Protects Us from Satanic Attacks • The Key to Better Relationships • Healing for a Broken Heart • Spiritual Gifts for Dummies • How God Works for Us Behind the Scenes • Child-like Faith Explained and Why You Need It • Will We Know Our Loved Ones in Heaven? • Battling Depression • Is Cursing a Sin? • What is God's Will for Your Life? • God's Remedy for Fatigue and Stress • How Husbands are to Love Their Wives • When Your Spirit is Willing but Your Flesh is Weak • How to Resolve Conflict • It's Not Too Late for God to Heal Our Land
Book Bubbles from The Forever Notebook 3
Hope for Better Relationships
The work on my 365 day devotional is almost finished. Book 4 of the Forever Notebook that covers the months of October - December will be available by August 1. Today, I've included and excerpt from Book 3, July - September.
Inspiration for Living
I took a break from writing novels to complete a series of quarterly devotionals. I call it The Forever Notebook. Book 3 covers the months of July - September. There's a meditation for every day of the year that has resulted from my daily quiet time with God. I begin with a focus scripture and reflect on how it applies to the challenges of life. My goal was to encourage, motivate, inspire, comfort, and teach while adhering to sound Biblical doctrine. Read each book at your pace or follow along day by day. May the Lord add His blessings to your life as you read these devotions.
Fifth Sunday
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
In March, 1985, Lamont Johnson moved his family from Cleveland, Ohio for an executive position with AmSouth Bank Corporation and a new home in the midst of the white’s-only Alabama community of Loving Hands. When the body of an exotic dancer is found behind the Loving Hands Baptist Church, Lamont Johnson is arrested for the murder. This story, inspired by actual events, is told from the perspective of Emmett Hollister who has only recently returned home after a stint in the Navy. Quickly things start looking up for Emmett when he meets and falls in love with new resident, Jane Fitzwater. As their love grows so do the problems in the Loving Hands community resulting in the destruction of their relationship and a scandalous revelation about some of the unloving racist members of Loving Hands Baptist Church.
Book Bubbles from Fifth Sunday
Inspired by Local Ghost Stories
What ghost stories are common to the area in which you live? Just about every town has one... or more. Even my hometown of Strasburg, Viriginia has a haunted hotel, or so they say. When I was writing my first novel, and imagining the scene of a murder, I thought back to an old legend about a deceased ax murderer turned local ghost. Most of us don't buy into such stories, but they're still fun to talk about.
That Ugly Word Called Change
How do you respond to change? More specifically, change over which you have no control. Change can displace, threaten, upset, and alter the direction of our lives. In my book, Fifth Sunday, I describe a sleepy town that's about to be awakened by - change. Their values, faith, and biases will be pushed to the limit. Will they grow, run, or break under the pressure? In this scene, I describe the Loving Hands community, the way it was, just before - CHANGE.
How Do You Feel About Your First Book
In 2012, I wrote my first novel. Was it good? Well, I'll give the story a B but the writing was a C at best. The most common criticism is "too much dialogue." Time and 8 more books have verified the veracity of those suggestions. The one thing I got right was to write about what I knew, from personal experience. After the first novel, it took three years to dive into a second endeavor. Honestly, I didn't write the first book for others. It was for me. I had some things I needed to get off my chest. So what, if Fifth Sunday wasn't a literary classic? It was what I needed at a difficult time in my life. And it eventually gave me the courage to keep writing. What did your first book do for you? Did it ignite a passion for more writing or make you want to throw in the towel?
Writing as Therapy
If you are an author, why do you write? Is it something you have longed to do since childhood or was it triggered by a traumatic event? For me, the motivation was both. I've always loved writing, but the craft wasn't on my radar until I suffered inner turmoil resulting from the gospel ministry. Fifth Sunday: The Loving Hands Murder was my first novel. It provided me with an outlet for thinking through the circumstances that led to my early retirement as a church pastor. The story is based on actual events from the 1980s.
In the Valley of Hope
Literature & Fiction
Charlie couldn’t understand it. No one could. He was the only one of Bill Polk’s five children who was hated and abused. Forced to leave home with only the clothes on his back and an extraordinary (some said “supernatural”) gift, Charlie sets out on a quest for hope, acceptance, and love. He is determined to shed the curse of his father’s bad reputation and to discover why he was so severely mistreated. Along the way he is reunited with three childhood friends: Frank Wissler III, from the wealthiest and most influential family in the Valley; Priscilla Miller, a beautiful and mischievous farm girl; and Mable Shown, an attractive but simple girl of faith. When Charlie rejects Priscilla’s romantic intentions but instead proposes to Mable, Priscilla frames Charlie and the resulting scandal causes him to lose everything. Even Mable delays his betrothal request, awaiting a sign from God. Ultimately he does succeed, discovers the surprising reason for his father’s hatred and ascends to the most prestigious farming job in the Valley, which can only be explained by the remarkable faith of his beloved Mable.
Book Bubbles from In the Valley of Hope
How Times have Changed Since 1919
Dating in rural America in 1919. Can you imagine? Traveling miles by horseback to see the girl of your dreams. The first parentally approved date must be in a church where men and women aren't seated together. After lunch, mom and dad chaperone a rendezvous in the parlor. And the second date holds no more promise of freedom than the first. But love has a way of happening, regardless of the moral and social restrictions of the day. In this scene from In the Valley of Hope, love blooms against all odds.
Inspired by an Old Oak Tree
Writing In the Valley of Hope was fun because it took me back to memorable places from my childhood. In this scene I recall a country church in rural Virginia called St. Mary's Pine Lutheran Church. We often visited the cemetery across the road to pay tribute to our deceased loved ones. But on occasion we attended dinner on the grounds at the church. It was a special day for my grandmother, the star of this scene. For her, this was homecoming. For me, it was boring. I was a teenager, naturally unimpressed with just about everything. But there was something I found interesting. Next to the church was the old house where my grandmother grew up. And between the house and the church stood an old oak tree. She described it as her favorite place to think and talk to God. What caught my interest was her statement, "This is where I prayed for a husband." To which she added, "Be careful what you pray for."
An Unexpected Surprise in My Research
In the Valley of Hope is based on a true story. In fact, there is more fact than fiction. Thanks to the Shenandoah Herald in Woodstock, VA, I gained considerable insight into the people and culture from the first two decades of the twentieth century in the Shenandoah Valley. One story that came as a welcome surprise was that of Christina "Teeny" Shown. A front page article was devoted to this colorful citizen on the occasion of her 95th birthday. But what really aroused my curiosity, Teeny was my great-great grandmother. Until the discovery of the article, I had only a name but no information on this extraordinary person.
Childhood Memories
I write about the pictures in my mind. And In the Valley of Hope provided multiple familiar scenes from my youth. The story is set in the area in which I grew up, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I vividly recall cold mornings in an upstairs bedroom where there was no heat. Consequently, dressing under a stack of heavy quilts and blankets was common practice. I also remember walking to school, although my journey was only about 30 minutes and not the two hours experienced by protagonist, Charlie Polk.
Farewell PFC Polk
Literature & Fiction
The Polk family faces their greatest tragedy and discovers that there is life after the painful loss of a child. (Based on a TRUE STORY) When he was 9-years-old, Charlie Polk was plagued by a recurring nightmare. Ten years later it became a reality. The official Marine Corps report claimed that PFC Charles Polk was accidentally shot and killed by his best friend, Eddie Johnson. But is that what actually happened? Private Polk’s death left a string of broken hearts, all claiming to be the love of his life, but only one of them, Sally Duffy, had captured his heart. When she shows up at the funeral, the family is shocked to learn about the beloved Marine's mystery girlfriend. Of greater concern to the family was the condition of Charlie's mother. Mable Polk had fallen into deep depression and lost the spiritual strength upon which the family had always relied. They were like a ship without a sail until faith was restored through an unlikely source. Farewell PFC Polk begins in the winter of 1952 in a small town in northern Virginia and chronicles the story of Buddy Polk, from his senior year in high school to his service as a Military Policeman in the United States Marine Corps, his mysterious death on June 28, 1955, and how friends and family cope with the tragedy and ultimately rebuild their lives.
Book Bubbles from Farewell PFC Polk
Warnings We Shouldn't Ignore
You know the old expression, "Hindsight is better than foresight." In the past, the warnings are there. Did we miss them or overlook them? In this scene from the true story, Farewell PFC Polk, an old friend sounds an alarm that Charles ignores. If only he had listened, tragedy would have been avoided.
Protector of the Family Secret
How are you at hiding your problems? Do you wear them where everybody can see them or can you effectively conceal them? The protagonist in Farewell PFC Polk was the latter. Even his closest friends were unaware of the growing scandal Charley vowed to prevent. How much longer could he keep the family secret?
The Decisions that Make or Break Us
What caused you to leave the home of your youth? Or did you stay? For many of us, there's no place like home. Family, friends, and great memories make it more than just a marking on a map. Moving on takes courage, purpose, and hope. For others, home life is less than desirable, and escape is desirable and inevitable. In 1953, recent high school grad Charlie Polk left the home and the people he loved to start a new life. He didn't have a dream, but he was looking for one. He had know way of knowing that he was about to be jolted into a fatal decision. Which begs the question, "What would have happened if he had stayed home and built his life there?"
That Recurring Nightmare
Have your dreams ever predicted the future? That's not a problem unless your dream was a nightmare. 9-year-old Charlie Polk's nightmare was impossible to explain. But every time it happened, he awakened with a feeling of dread. Something terrible was going to happen. He just didn't know when. I think we can agree that all dream's don't foretell the future. But are some prophetic? The Bible indicates such a possibility. So how about you. Has your nightmare ever become a painful reality?
Alexandras Song
Literature & Fiction
Molly Sanders has been given the unique ability to see beyond the physical world into a place where a war rages between the forces of good and evil. When her home life is no longer bearable, Molly abandons her dream of becoming a concert pianist and pursues a new life on the run, away from her tyrannical father, Yuri Zakharov. Fueled by anger and a desire to hurt him as he has hurt her, Molly takes refuge in the small town of Divinity Falls, PA, where she lands a job at Angels Diner, reluctantly falls in love with Casper Knight and encounters a mysterious woman, Angel Lopez, who claims to be her guardian angel. Angel challenges Molly to fulfill her destiny by following the Master's plan for her life. Molly's decision brings the wrath of the angels of darkness, an unwanted encounter with the man she despises, and an outcome she could have never imagined.
Book Bubbles from Alexandras Song
The Mystery Mansion in the Woods
Have you ever driven in the country and discovered a house that just didn't seem to belong? A mansion seemingly in the middle of nowhere. An object of curiosity for sure. In the novel, Alexandra's Song, I attempted to describe such a place. Once inside, even more questions arise about the woman who lives there, a golden key, and a room of sadness. When the protagonist, Molly Sanders, learns the answers, her life will be changed forever.
Writing from Life's Experiences
One of the greatest ways to learn a writer's personal story is to read their books. We all write based on what we've seen, the people we've known, joys and passions, and hardships and pain. In this scene from my novel, Alexandra's Song, I recalled a vacation in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. After dark, unidentifiable sights and sounds stirred the imagination. Was that just the lights of a helicopter passing overhead, or was it the wings of angels? The normal person would conclude the obvious. But I'm a writer.
The Legend of Gabriel's Rock
How do you respond when you enter a place that is allegedly haunted or where something supernatural reportedly occurred? Are you naturally skeptical? Do you immediately dismiss the story without further thought? Or are you curious and willing to explore the veracity of the claim? Molly Sanders is a runaway who is about to learn the truth about Divinity Falls and its strange inhabitants. She will soon be confronted with the past she intended to leave behind.
A Travel App Throws Caution to the Wind
Have you ever closed your eyes and selected an indiscriminate location on a map? Molly Sanders had something better, the Take-a-Chance Travel app. It was the perfect solution for a girl on the run from her past. The resort community of Divinty Falls, PA, would be her new home and an opportunity for a new life.
Miracle at Gabriels Rock
Literature & Fiction
Alexandra Zakharov is thrilled to have her five-year-old son, Danny, back in her life. But then the unthinkable happens when her old nemesis Helel Ben Shazar kidnaps the boy and the only way to get him back is to surrender her soul to the Devil. As the deadline rapidly approaches for her decision, Alexandra is summoned back to Divinity Falls where she is reunited with the man who abandoned her before the child was born. Alexandra reluctantly teams with Johnny Hinson, the man she had vowed to hate forever, to battle evil and find their son. Their adventure lands them in the middle of a terrorist plot to destroy the United States of America. The largest force of terrorists ever to set foot on American soil gather in Pennsylvania's Hope Valley at the site of the 1779 Miracle at Gabriel's Rock. According to legend, an angel intervened to protect Hope Valley settlers from an Indian attack and ordered both sides to coexist peacefully. Their reward would be a future of friendship, prosperity, and blessings. Alexandra and Johnny's only hope is...a second Miracle at Gabriel's Rock.
Book Bubbles from Miracle at Gabriels Rock
That Feeling, You're Being Watched
Someone's watching. You sense it. Just a foolish notion, or could it be real? And if you are being watched, why and who? Then you feel the presence of evil. You're in danger. You scan your surroundings, but find nothing to confirm your fear. In this scene from my second book in the Angel's Diner series, Miracle at Gabriel's Rock, Alexandra Zakharov can't shake that feeling.
Unexplainable Encounters
Years ago, my wife and I were in the nation's capital on our way to the airport. Snow was falling and roadways were becoming slick and dangerous. Traffic was annoyingly slow and as we approached the top of a hill two girls dressed in black stepped out of the vehicle in front of us. Then - they disappeared. Vanished before our eyes. Janet and I stared in disbelief. It was an encounter we have never been able to explain. How about you? Have you ever had a strange encounter that seemed otherwordly or supernatural? I've included an excerpt from Miracle at Gabriel's Rock in which Alexandra Zakharov, the protagonist, encounters a mysterious visitor named Joy.
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
Few things in life are more painful than an unexpected breakup. In this scene I attempted to help the reader see and feel Alexandra's beak-up with her old friend from Divinity Falls. Casper followed her to New York and eventually mustered the courage to ask her to marry him. But Alexandra wasn't prepared to give him the answer he wanted. She needed time to think about it. Too much time, which led to this scene.
Voices in Your Head
Have you ever experienced an inner voice prodding you to take a specific course of action? Perhaps someone from your past comes to mind, and you feel compelled to call or visit that person. Possibly the voice is urging you to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity or warning you of impending danger. But what is the source of the voice? Your imagination? An angel? A demon? The protagonist in my Angel's Diner series, Alexandra Zakharov, has been given the ability to hear and see angels. However, distinguishing between good and bad isn't easy. In this scene she is encouraged to return to the place where she came face to face with her guardian angel.
Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane
Literature & Fiction
Hope Hunter dreamed of becoming a professional artist like her grandmother, Henrietta Debose. As a child prodigy studying under the master oil painter, Hope was well on her way, until her 17th birthday when she abandoned her dream to marry Terrence. Their marriage lasted 21 years until his gambling addiction cost them everything. After a bitter divorce, Hope's grandmother dies, leaves Hope's father out of her will, and bequeaths her estate to Hope, including the house on Cherry Blossom Lane. With renewed optimism, Hope relaunches her dream. Hope has three weeks to prepare for the grand opening of the Hope Gallery. But life happens and unexpected challenges threaten to kill Hope's dream. Her daughter, Jessica, and 3-year-old granddaughter, Emma, move in with her. Jessica's abusive husband threatens to take Emma and Hope's ex moves to town with his new wife. Hope's father, Marvin, contests his mother's will and gives Hope thirty days to get out of the house. A blizzard wipes out her grand opening. How much is too much? At what point should she give up? Weighted down by problems and overwhelmed by doubt, Hope concludes, "Forty-one-year-old divorcees weren't meant to be dreamers." But then - she gets back up... Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane is a page-turning contemporary fiction novel for the dreamer in all of us. It's about love, finding out what really matters, forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope.
Book Bubbles from Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane
Grandchildren are Good Medicine
When my wife was going through cancer treatments, and I was struggling with job loss, God sent us an angel. Well, not really an angel, but an angelic 5-year-old to lift our spirits. That experience inspired this scene in Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane.
Helping Our Kids Comes First
Even though our children are grown, we still worry about them. And we'll change our plans on a dime if they need help. In this scene from Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane, Hope Hunter has just arrived in Harmony Springs, Virginia. Her distressed daughter calls with a request. Ever had anything like this happen to you?
Treasures in the Attic
Have you ever returned to the home of your youth and rummaged through the attic or basement? The junk of the past can be treasures of the present. Things once dull and mundane now have special meaning. Objects become windows to memories of people and events from yesterday. The protagonist in Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane returns to the place she loved most as a child; the home of Grandma Debose. In this scene, she visits the attic and recalls golden memories.
Handling Life's Disappointments
A long time ago, I adopted the philosophy, "Things always cost more and take longer than you expect." The simple plumbing job. The easy auto repair. The cleanup project in the garage. You get the picture. Life is filled with disappointments. Things don't always turn out as expected. In Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane, Hope Hunter experiences more than her fair share of setbacks. One of them is described in this scene as she returns home to take possession of her grandmother's old house. Have you ever experienced something like this?
What's a Grandparent to Do
Parenting is difficult. Grandparenting is harder. What do you do when you see your grandchildren treated badly or living in less than desirable circumstances? At what point do you intervene? And how? In this scene from Hope of Cherry Blossom Lane, Grandma Henrietta Debose faces this dilemma as she seeks the best for her granddaughter, Hope.
